King's Lynn and Eastbourne have announced they will not be competing in this year's Elite League Knockout Cup, while the Premier League will consist of the same 14 sides as 2011.

The news is mixed for Elite League champions Poole Pirates and promoter Matt Ford says he faces a dilemma in the coming weeks as he begins his team building for next years campaign.

Ford will now be able to keep star riders Darcy Ward and Chris Holder but faces a struggle to keep the average limit of his seven riders under 41.

"It's a tough one because the points limit is now 41 and we finished on a points average of about 46 or 47 last season," Ford told BBC Radio Solent.

"It allows us to keep our two star riders but who knows what we are going to do. We've got a lot to think about in terms of getting a team together.

Poole Pirates face selection dilemma

"We've got a lot of soul searching to do in the coming weeks. Which riders to keep and which riders to let go."

The biggest changes come in the BSPA management, where Lakeside boss Jon Cook was named vice-chairman and Wolverhampton's Chris van Straaten returns to the committee.

"I feel honoured to be vice-chairman and to have achieved that by winning an election makes me feel particularly responsible to my fellow members to make sure I do a good job," said Cook.

"I have enjoyed working with Alex Harkess [chairman] as a member of the management committee and feel he has been an exceptionally diligent chairman in his responsibilities towards our league over a very stormy period of history both in and outside of the sport."